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For Syria’s Government, Kurdish Deal Is a Big Win

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 6 min read 100% complete by Christina GoldbaumJanuary 20, 2026 at 02:30 PM
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long article 6 min

President Ahmed al-Sharaa of Syria has reached a deal with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is seen as a significant victory for his government. The SDF had controlled much of the country's northeast and was backed by the United States. Al-Sharaa's patience in negotiations seemed to have run out earlier this month, prompting a military push into Kurdish-held territory. The SDF agreed to terms that appear to be a surrender, with its members joining the Syrian military as individuals rather than forming distinct battalions. The deal also resulted in the loss of control over Syria's gas and oil fields by the SDF. This agreement marks a test of al-Sharaa's pledge to form an inclusive administration that empowers minorities.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context
Aleppo 30% Mazloum Abdi 40% United States 50% Raqqa ×260% Syria ×380% Syrian Democratic Forces (S.D.F.) ×685% Ahmed al-Sharaa ×690%

Keywords

syria 100% kurdish 90% negotiations 70% syrian democratic forces 70% military push 60% ahmed al-sharaa 60% oil fields 50% power sharing 50% raqqa 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Positive
Score: 0.30

Source Transparency

Source
New York Times - World
Political Lean
Center-Left (-0.30)
Far LeftCenterFar Right
Classification Confidence
90%
Geographic Perspective
Syria

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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syriakurdishnegotiationssyrian democratic forcesmilitary pushahmed al-sharaaoil fieldspower sharingraqqa
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